Kilmarnock Open XC – Sunday 10 November 2013

After a cold, frosty but sunny start to the day a very soft and muddy course greeted those athletes who entered the Kilmarnock Open XC at the Ayrshire Arena, Kilmarnock. It made for very good cross country conditions and made the relatively flat course much more of a challenge.

In the girls u11 race Seaforth had 7 starters in a field of 62 runners. After a fast and furious 1300m first home for Seaforth was Rosie Davidson in 20th place (5:36) followed by Scarlett Ross 22nd (5:42), Alex Meldrum 24th (5:47), Evie Mackay 26th (5:49), Morgan Brown 33rd (5:58), Sophie McKay 35th (6:00) and Nadine Sturgeon 41st (6:08).

This was followed by the u11 boys where Seaforth had a sole entrant in the field of 44 runners. Lewis Martin came home in 27th place in a time of 5:38.

The girls u13 saw a total of 9 entrants for Seaforth in a start list of 42 runners. The latest rising star in the form of Emma Frew led the race from start to finish completing the 3200m course in a time of 13:00, she was followed home by team mates Caitlin Chilton 9th (14:17), Lucy Davidson 11th (14:31), Emma Low 12th (14:41), Charlotte McDowall 17th (15:19), Alexandra Smiley 18th (15:23), Jena Anderson 19th (15:37), Emma Palmer 23rd (15:54) and Alison King 26th (16:40). The first 3 girls home also won the team event for this age group.

The u13 boys race had a smaller field of 25 runners but none the less proved to be a hard fought win for young Scott Sprang who put in the performance of the day to win by some distance from Inverclydes Cameron Watson. Scott had a time of 12:15 and was followed by Daniel Martin 4th (13:06), Michael Bargh 7th (13:26), Greig Oakley 10th (13:51), Logan Cotter 16th (14:19) and Blair Smillie 17th (14:31). Again the first 3 runners home won the team event for their age group.

The u15 girls race was over a 4000m course with 5 runners for Seaforth in the field of 18 runners. First home for Ayr was Mia Cullis 8th (17:28) who was followed closely by the improving Megan Short 10th (17:36), India Birrell 11th (17:56), Rebecca Martin 15th (19;09) and Kate Alexander 17th (19:40).

The boys u15 team only had a single runner as the rest of this age group were running earlier in the day along with the mens u17 athletes and womens u17 athletes at the National Short Course Cross Country Championships in Glasgow. The runner was Ross Nicolson who came home in 4th place from 11 runners in a time of 15:06.

The senior / veterans womens race was over a distance of 6400m and saw Seaforths Gael Riddle the sole club representative in a field of 14 runners finishing in 8th position in a time of 31:26.

The mens senior / veterans was over the top distance of 10000m and saw an entry of 7 Seaforth athletes compete in the field of 35 starters. Kenny Neil was first athlete home for Ayr in 4th (37:26), Mark Caldwell 11th (39:55), James Murray 13th (40:50), Laurence Baker 20th (43:03), Peter Laing 23rd (44:33), Ian Young 30th (45:51) and Tom McCulloch 31st (47:04).

A big well done to everyone who turned out for the club, the big increase in numbers participating at all age groups has not gone unnoticed and is regularly being commented on by regulars on the circuit.